Immuno-oncology Research

Research on Immuno-oncology for Cancer Treatment

Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a revolutionary tool to target malignant cells changing the paradigm for cancer treatment and providing potential curative outcomes for subsets of patients. Investigators from the Immunotherapy Institute of the BIDMC Cancer Center have played pivotal roles in advancing many of the central areas of this field in both the basic science and translational arenas.

The Immunotherapy Institute treats solid tumors and hematologic (blood and bone marrow) cancers. We integrate basic science, clinical research and patient care to mobilize the power of the immune system in the fight against cancer.

The mission of the Immunotherapy Institute of the Cancer Center at BIDMC is to:

• Develop powerful new immune-based cancer therapies through basic science, translational research and clinical trials
• Advance the development of personalized cell therapies and activation of the immune system by targeting the tumor microenvironment
• Develop immune-based therapies to significantly improve outcomes for cancer patients
• Move from the standard of care toward the standard of cure

As an international leader in cancer immunotherapy, the BIDMC Cancer Center in partnership with the BIDMC Cancer Research Institute is dramatically impacting scientific discovery and patient care through the transformative field of immunotherapy.

Schwartz Family Immunotherapy Facility

The Randi and Brian Schwartz Family Cancer Immunotherapy and Cell Manipulation Facility is a state-of-the-art laboratory that expands BIDMC’s clinical research capacity with the goal of accelerating the delivery of new immunotherapies to patients with cancer. The Center also serves as a manufacturing facility in which BIDMC's physician-scientists produce innovative immune-based treatments, including a promising experimental therapeutic vaccine against several forms of blood cancer.

In this core facility, personalized cell therapies are created and delivered, including cancer vaccines, CAR T-cells, NK cells and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In addition, the Immunotherapy Institute organizes seminars, lectures and retreats to review current work, share ideas and develop new collaborations.

To ensure the production of safe and effective therapeutic anti-cancer vaccines, the 3,400 square foot suite features three tissue culture rooms comprising 1,900 square feet of clean space designed to achieve “Good Manufacturing Practice” specifications.